Song Byrd
by BlkRse
Summary: It all started with a song... a WB fic
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** _I own nothing._

The locker was cold against Ryan Wolfe's forehead. Though the throbbing in his temples didn't subside, it took his mind off the pain that also resided in his hand. Punching steel as hard as possible was not a very good stress reliever. But at the time, he had not been thinking clearly, so punching the locker six times seemed like a good idea.

Sometimes, Ryan wondered why he did this job. It always ate at him that they didn't always catch the bad guys. Today, for example, a murderer had escaped their grasps. The entire team knew he had done it. The evidence supported that. But even Horatio's Glare of Doom didn't change the fact that the suspect got away.

Thinking about it now, Ryan did not want to leave the sanctuary of the locker room. Not because he felt safe there, but because he couldn't really look at her. She had compromised the whole case and now just thinking of the DNA lab pissed him off all over again.

He plopped down on the locker room bench and rested his elbows on his knees. _How the hell do you mix up DNA swabs,_ he wondered to himself. _How the hell did I not notice that she mixed up the swabs, _he thought suddenly. Ryan watched her as she cut the swab and ran the DNA, but he didn't actually _see_ her mix up the evidence. Logically, Ryan was not responsible. But he still felt somewhat guilty.

There was a small commotion behind him but he didn't look up. A hand squeezed his shoulder and he met the gaze of a green eyed blonde. Calleigh smiled sympathetically at him. He knew that she only meant to make him feel better but it was sickening. Ryan didn't want to be pitied. He wanted the murdering bastard to go to jail.

Eric also tried to offer comfort by patting him on the back. Ryan felt like throwing something. If they were going to act like this, Ryan would rather go home. So he stood, bid his friends a quick goodbye and walked out.

Passing the DNA lab, Ryan was relieved that she was not in there. He didn't really know how he would react if he saw her. He was almost home free as he pressed the button to hail the elevator…when he heard her voice.

"Ryan!" she called.

Spinning around, Ryan saw Valera running to try and catch him before he boarded the elevator.

"Hey, Ryan, look I'm-"

"You're sorry?" he asked coldly. "You're sorry you blew the case and let a murderer free? Yeah, I'd be sorry too."

She was speechless. Valera had not expected him to be like this. That much was apparent by her expression of shame.

Ryan noticed and maybe he would apologize later, but not right now. The elevator arrived and he got on without turning around.

He didn't want to go home anymore. He just wanted to get away.

* * *


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** _Song Cry Me a River by Ella Fitzgerald._

**Disclaimer:** _I own nothing._

* * *

Mickey's Bar wasn't the type of place that would be in a vacation brochure. For the most part, it was a local place that was tourist free. The décor was nothing impressive, just a few round tables with four chairs around them. The table cloths were a deep burgundy color and each table had a small candle lit. On the opposite side of the room from the bar was a stage that was only a few feet high. On it sat a piano that looked like it had seen better days.

What the place lacked in style, it made up for in atmosphere. There were only a few people there and they all seemed to be friendly. Mickey, the owner, could strike up a conversation with anyone about anything and nothing at all. The waitresses were kind and courteous…

…at least, from what Ryan had seen. He usually sat at the bar itself and didn't have to speak to any waitresses. In turn, Ryan and Mickey had become well acquainted.

Walking in the dimly lit establishment, Ryan was immediately greeted.

"Look who's back from the dead." Mickey said humorously. "Haven't seen you in months Wolfe-Man."

Ryan smiled weakly and sat on his usual stool. "Hey Mick."

"Bad day?" Mickey said serious. "Beer and a coke?"

"You know me."

There wasn't much conversation between them after Ryan received his beverage. Mickey must have sensed that Ryan's mind was somewhere else. In the course of an hour, Ryan was still nursing a half empty bottle of the same beer when Mick finally said something.

"You should check this girl out." Mick nodded to the stage. A woman of average height and dark brown hair walked up on the stage and began moving things around. "I've never seen a girl so small have such a big voice." He chuckled. "If I were twenty years younger-"

"You'd what?" Ryan asked keeping his eyes glued to the woman adjusting the microphone stand.

"I'd ask her out fully prepared to be turned down nicely."

Ryan's chuckling stopped once the piano started to play. A fairly short man had snuck up on stage and sat on the piano bench, his fingers slowly caressing the keys in a tune that Ryan could've sworn he had heard before.

"_Now you say you're lonely.  
You cry the long night through  
Well, you can cry me a river,  
Cry me a river..  
I cried a river over you."_

Ryan's jaw dropped. Of all the things in the world he thought she would sound like, he was not expecting this. Her voice was strong and soulful. And, indeed, 'big' as Mick had described it.

"Trying to catch flies?" Mick teased.

Ryan wiped his mouth and gulped. "How much are you paying her to sing?"

"The same I pay my girls to wait on tables." Mick replied. "She came in here looking to be a waitress and when she saw the piano," Mick chuckled at the memory. "Her eyes lit up and she said she would sing for free. How could I say no to that?"

Only halfway listening Ryan nodded. He was once again mesmerized by this woman's voice and stage presence.

"_If my pillow could talk, imagine what it would have said.  
Could it be a river of tears I cried in bed?  
So you can cry me a river,  
Go ahead and cry me a river  
'Cause I cried, how I cried a river over you  
How I cried a river over you..."_

The rest of the bar patrons applauded as she finished the song. The singer winked at a few people as she left the stage.

"Wanna meet her?" Mick asked conspiringly.

There wasn't a question of whether or not he _wanted_ to meet this woman. Ryan _had_ to.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** _Yes, I am aware that this chapter is short_.

**Disclaimer:** _I own nothing._

* * *

Lying in bed, Ryan couldn't help but smile. No, there was nothing of intrigue on the ceiling that he was staring at. But as he thought about his day, he figured it wasn't as bad as it could have been.

_If I had not had a crappy day at work, I wouldn't have gone to Mickey's_, Ryan thought. _And if I had not gone to Mickey's I wouldn't have met her. _He smiled again at the thought of her. Jenne. She said her name was Jenne. Well, she hadn't exactly said that. What she actually said was, "I'm Jenne Byrd. And that's Byrd with a 'Y', not an 'I'." Time seemed to pause as she smiled at him. He tried to think of something witty and charming to say.

Instead he made a comment about how there was no way her last name was 'Byrd'. "And yet, your name is Wolfe." She had quipped, that same smile reached her green eyes, making them sparkle. That was as far as their interaction had gone. She had to get back to work and Ryan was beginning to feel the fatigue of the day in his chest.

Now home, Ryan couldn't stop thinking about her. His nightly routine of eating, showering and brushing his teeth kept being interrupted by thoughts of her. It made no sense to him. _Was this obsession_, he wondered. No, there was nothing he could really be obsessed about. Sure, she was gorgeous but Ryan never saw himself as the kind of guy to get hung up on appearances. Her voice was beautiful…amazing…hypnotizing…

But that wasn't the point. The point was that Ryan didn't really know anything about her.

In the recesses of Ryan's mind he knew the quick fix to that problem: _get_ to know her. "Why?" he said out loud, though he knew the answer to that question before he asked. _Because I want to._

The fact that he was arguing with himself over something that seemed so simple didn't bring him comfort. He sighed and rolled over, silently deciding to go back to Mickey's as soon as he clocked out after shift.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** _I own nothing… except for Jenne's soul. Her words, not mine. LOL_

Sitting in front of a computer screen for five hours couldn't have been good for Ryan's eyes. But he dutifully sat in the A/V lab until he was able find enough visual evidence for his case. In the end, his hard work was the nail in the suspect's coffin. Ryan's head hurt like hell but he figured it was worth it.

It seemed as though the entire lab was conspiring against him to keep him at work. Everyone wanted to talk to him about something or another that was entirely uninteresting. As he backed away from one conversation he ran into Maxine Valera.

"Dammit Ryan! Watch where you're going." She snapped.

"Sorry." He quickly added, "Can we talk for a second?"

"If you're going to apologize about yesterday, it's ok. You were mad, I screwed up. I get it and I forgive you. We'll get the guy." She walked away.

"Wait, so we're ok?" Ryan called after her.

"Yes. But next time I'm telling Alexx on you."

He grinned at the familiar threat. Now that that was resolved, Ryan made a beeline for the elevator. He couldn't get out of there fast enough; he practically sprinted to his car. The drive to Mickey's seemed to take forever and Ryan was beginning to think the city was against him once he realized he caught every red light from the lab to the bar.

As he approached the entrance, he heard the faint sounds of her voice and the applause. Ryan's heart sank. He missed it. He missed her singing. And he felt guilty for not getting there soon enough. Almost too guilty to go inside and order a drink. Almost.

"Two nights in a row Wolfe?" Mickey observed. "Bad week?"

"No…just didn't want to be at home."

"Uh huh." Mick wasn't buying it. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were here for the 'entertainment'." He nodded in Jenne's direction.

She was waiting tables, smiling and joking with a few people. She could work a crowd, Ryan gave her that. Her smile seemed to light up the room and Ryan had to remind himself to look away every now and then. Staring has a tendency to give people the wrong vibes. Ryan started up a conversation with Mick, trying desperately to distract himself.

However, that was little help when an hour later she sat on the stool next to him. "Hi." She said politely. He just smiled back, not trusting his voice to speak.

"I'm headed out Mick." Jenne smiled. "Mind if I get some tea while I wait for a cab?"

If Ryan weren't paying attention he would have missed Mick's eyes glance from himself to Jenne. A grin spread across his face slowly as he said smoothly, "Why don't you just have Wolfe take you home."

Jenne looked from a choking Ryan to Mick. "He seems like a really nice guy but…I don't really know him."

It made Ryan uneasy that they spoke of him as if he wasn't there. Though, he felt proud that Mick would vouch for him such as he was.

"What do you say Wolfe?" Mick said after a few minutes. "You get Jenne home for me?"

All Ryan could do was nod and lead her to his car.

* * *

"California?"

"Yep." Jenne said proudly. "Born and raised."

Ryan glanced at her. She was a bit preoccupied texting but he was still able to take in her beauty. A smile graced her face and the lights from the streetlamps danced in her eyes. If he wasn't careful he would get in a car accident for not paying attention. "So what's a California girl doing in Miami?"

She shrugged. "My friend sent for me to visit. I kinda like it out here. So instead of visiting I ended up moving in with her."

"Sounds like a good friend."

"She's actually a bitch." Jenne said offhandedly. "Turn left up here."

He made the left and gave Jenne a questioning look. She just shrugged again. "She'll tell you herself."

Not knowing how to respond to that, Ryan kept his eyes on the road until she told him to stop. The house he parked in front of was averaged sized and the lawn was well kept. The porch light was on.

"Thanks." She said as she got out the car. Ryan followed her out.

"I can at least walk you to your door." He said kindly.

Jenne's attention was down the street. A blue four-door car pulled to a stop right behind Ryan's car.

The front door passenger window rolled down and a woman's voice said, "Jenne brought a guy home."

"He's cute though." said the dark blonde driver.

"He wants some Byrdie lovin'." said a woman in the back seat.

The relaxed Jenne was gone and Ryan could see the blush on her cheeks. "Ryan, these are my friends; that's Heather in the front, Ellen behind her and who the hell let Kris drive?"

"I lost a bet." A fourth woman said. The door behind the driver opened and out stepped a dark skinned woman with fairly long black hair. Her large eyes were glaring in Jenne's direction. "So, you got a ride home, huh? You should've called instead of texting. We would have come and got you." She looked at Ryan. "Thanks for bringing her though."

He gave a nervous smile.

She looked at Ryan pensively. "I'm Leila by the way." She closed the car door and stood on the sidewalk next to Jenne. Leila watched the two fidget like nervous teenagers.

"They're in love." giggled Ellen in the backseat.

The blush on Jenne's cheek intensified and she rolled her eyes. "Goodnight guys."

"That means leave." Leila said. "Bye." She waved them off before turning to Ryan. "Thanks again. You," she abruptly turned to Jenne, "when you're done flirting, get your boney ass in the house."

Ryan bit his lip to keep from laughing. Jenne was clearly embarrassed for her only response was to gape after her friend. Ryan thought it was funny but he didn't want to add to her uneasiness, so he kept his mouth shut. Finally pulling herself back together by rolling her eyes, she smiled at him.

"I, like, owe you my favorite pair of socks or something." She said seriously.

Ryan laughed. "We'll call it even if you'll have coffee with me." he blurted.

Her eyes grew wide and he thought he may have offended her until she said, quite enthusiastically, "I friggin' love coffee! Heck yes I'll have coffee with you. _And_ I get to keep my socks." She reached in her pockets for a card and gave it to him.

"You have your own card?" he asked.

"Yes? What, you don't?"

"Uh…no."

They stared at each other for a moment. Ryan noticed that her eyes never left his. Clearly she was thinking and not checking him out. There was a smile in her face even though her lips did not curve. She must have noticed him quickly look down at her lips, for she broke the eye contact and blushed. "So…I'll see you, yes?"

"Yes."

Jenne flashed him a smile and made her way to the front door. He didn't move until she was out of sight. Looking down at her card, Ryan burst into laughter when he realized it read 'Jenne Byrd: Walking Circus'. He put the card in his wallet and decided to call before his next day off. Until then, he would keep returning to Mickey's bar to let her know that he had not forgotten their coffee date…and possibly give her a ride home if she needed it.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer**: _I own nothing_

Sleep was evasive and, honestly, Ryan was tired of chasing it. Giving up on the thought of falling asleep at a reasonable hour, he got out of bed and headed to the kitchen. Since he wouldn't be able to sleep he figured he may as well just stay up. He took his coffee mug out of the cabinet and immediately thought of Jenne.

It had been two weeks since they had made a coffee date. Every night since then he had been at Mickey's after shift. She understood that he had a busy schedule but he still felt really bad that he had not taken her out yet. Ryan glanced at the oven, noting the time. It was just past midnight. Would she still be awake?

He decided to chance it and call her anyway. His thumb danced over the 'end call' button after it rang twice but he suddenly heard her voice.

"Mellow yellow fellow. Hello?"

Ryan chuckled. "Hi Jenne Byrd. This is Ryan."

"Hi." She greeted enthusiastically. "How are you doing since I last saw you..." she paused. "…which was about two hours ago."

"Yeah, uh…I hope I didn't wake you."

Jenne giggled. "These are my main hours of operation. I'm a night owl/zombie."

"Zombie?" he said with a smile. "Should I be concerned?"

"Yes. I'm going to eat your brain and gain your knowledge."

Ryan laughed. "Well, Zombie Jenne, I was wondering…uh…is it too late for that coffee?"

"Ryan, it's never too late for coffee."

"Ok…uh, I'll head over there now." He said.

"I shall be ready when you get here."

* * *

There was an all night barista in a plaza not too far from the crime lab that officers frequented. Sometimes Ryan thought it was built there on purpose. Thankful that none of his coworkers would need a cup of coffee at such an hour, he drove there with the intention of solving the mystery that was still the woman sitting next to him. Sure, they had spoken about everything and nothing before but that was under the watchful eye of Mick. There were some subjects that just didn't come up. And Ryan had the feeling that there was more to Jenne than meets the eye.

He held the door open for her as they entered. On instinct, Ryan scanned the coffee shop for any kind of possible threat…and anyone he recognized or anyone that would recognize him. The last thing he wanted was to be embarrassed. After they received their coffee they sat at a table just outside the shop.

They didn't speak a word. Not one word passed between them and they were perfectly okay with that. It's not what Ryan had initially intended, but it was a comfortable silence rather than awkward. He just watched as she would trace the lid of her cup with her finger between sips. Finally he took the hand in his and examined each line and curve of it.

He was so caught up in what he was doing that he didn't notice Jenne biting her lip. He gently rubbed the veins in her wrist when she took her hand away from him.

"Tickles." She explained.

"You're ticklish?"

Jenne gave him a hard look. "Maybe."

Ryan laughed. "I won't use this knowledge for evil if that's what you're thinking."

"It is what I'm thinking." Jenne tilted her head. "Can you read my mind?"

"Maybe." Ryan joked, giving her the same hard look that she had given.

"Did you know I'm a sci-fi freak?" she asked seriously.

"I learn something new everyday."

"Cute." She smirked. "I mean it though. We geeks take things like mind reading seriously."

"Oh. I'm sorry." Ryan leaned forward and whispered, "Are you a conspiracy theorist too?"

"Now you're just teasing me."

Ryan laughed and held her hand in his to examine it again. "I like your hands." He blurted.

"I bet you say that to all the girls." Jenne said.

Putting his other hand on the table, palm up, he silently asked for her other hand. When she gave it to him he said, "You are the first, Jenne Byrd."

She smiled with her eyes before it was shown on her lips. "Well, I'm honored…Ryan Wolfe."


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:** _Nope._

He didn't quite remember what he said but whatever it was, Alexx was suspicious of him. Ryan had to be more careful. But he couldn't help thinking about the night before. Her laugh, the way those green eyes would light up like Christmas just before she said something sarcastic. Yeah, Ryan was slightly distracted. Slightly because Alexx was the only person to notice him humming when he came on the crime scene that morning. After that, Ryan only let his thoughts wander when he was walking though the crime lab.

There was an hour left of his shift when Alexx approached him.

"Ryan."

"Hey Alexx."

She gave him a look. The look that he, Calleigh and Eric dreaded; the 'if you lie to me I'll lock you in the morgue' look. "Who's this woman that's got you humming?"

Ryan's stomach dropped. "Uh...Alexx-"

She gave him the look again and he knew there was no way around it. "I…well I met her a few weeks ago."

"Weeks?" she sounded disappointed.

"Yeah…well…I mean…" Ryan took a breath. "We hung out last night…uh…we had coffee. Last night. And that's all."

Alexx gave him a half grin. "She must be something else if she has you humming over a dead man after the first date."

"You…have no idea."

"Uh huh." Alexx's grin faded a bit. "Be careful Ryan. Don't want you to get your heartbroken from falling too hard too fast.

_I was kinda past that point when I decided to halfway stalk her_, he thought. "I will be."

* * *

Ryan watched the precipitation glide down the cold glass of his coke. He slid the glass to his other hand on the table and then back again. Before sliding the glass back Ryan quickly scanned the bar. No Jenne. The glass left streaks of water in its wake.

He was anxious and he didn't know why. Maybe because he was at a table and not the bar itself. Or maybe because this was the first time since he had met Jenne that she wasn't at Mick's. Yeah, that was probably why. He kept scanning the room nervously as if he owed someone money and they had finally come to collect. Ryan shook himself, thinking that if he were someone else he would find his actions suspicious.

The game of glass hockey continued until a soft hand covered his. He looked up to see Jenne, a wide grin on her face.

"Are you trying to wear down the table?" she said. "There are better ways of going about it ya know."

Ryan smiled slowly. "Hi."

"Hi." She said, and slid into the chair opposite him. "You ok?"

"Yeah." Ryan answered slowly. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Jenne smirked and leaned back. "You just seemed a bit antsy is all."

"Antsy?"

She nodded.

"Oh. Well…you weren't here." He blushed. "I just…I don't know. I got worried when I didn't see you."

Jenne leaned forward slowly, licking her lips. "Ya know, sometimes I get a…" she looked around dramatically, "night off." She whispered.

Ryan chuckled at his own embarrassment and rubbed the back of his neck. "I just thou-"

"I know what you thought." Jenne said softly. "It's sweet of you."

There was a glimmer in her eyes. With all his careful observation, Ryan had never seen it before. Was this new? Was this…he didn't know. So he kept looking, searching for some kind of answer when she looked down at the candle flickering between them.

"Are we having a moment?" she asked quietly.

"Are we - what?"

"Are we having a moment?" she repeated. "Because if we are, I'd rather not have it with Mickey watching." Jenne discreetly nodded towards the bar. Ryan glanced at the bar and sure enough there was Mickey staring right back.

Ryan cleared his throat and looked down at the candle. A thought occurred.

"How did you know I was here?"

Jenne smiled but still didn't look up. "I knew that you didn't know I had the night off."

"Oh." He took a moment to fully process that before asking, "Wanna get out of here?"

She finally looked him in the eyes, the glimmer still there. "Yeah."

Ryan stood, left a tip on the table and led Jenne out by the hand.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:** _Me no own. You no sue. Yes._

The sand was cold between her toes. She wiggled them and looked out at the ocean, a light breeze blowing her long brown hair. She found a lullaby in the sound of the waves, similar to the song of the ocean back home.

Similar, but not the same. The sand here didn't feel the same as the sand in California and the air was different. Thicker or thinner, she couldn't tell. But there was a difference. Maybe she was homesick. Or maybe just thinking too much. Either way, it must have shown on her face.

"Jenne?"

She turned her head to look at the man sitting on the beach next to her. "Hm?"

"You ok?"

She couldn't fight the smile that spread across her face. Ryan just had a way of making her smile with the simplest of gestures. Holding doors, sweetly making fun of her…showing concern. Her smile was at Ryan's mercy.

"Just thinking about home." She said quietly.

"You miss it?"

Jenne sighed. "I miss my dad, my nephew. You know, family."

Ryan nodded. "Yeah."

"You miss your family?"

Ryan smiled, showing his teeth. "My mom calls me every other day. I talk more to my niece than my sister." He winced and Jenne knew that was a soft subject. "Hard feelings, ya know?"

"Yeah." Jenne sighed. "I know."

They sat in silence thinking of their own families. The moon reflected off the ocean waves and several yards away there was a bonfire with a bunch of college students. Jenne tilted her head back and breathed in the night air.

"Oh crap."

"What?" she asked Ryan.

He quickly stood to his feet. "Raindrop. We gotta go."

"Why?"

"The rain in Miami this time of year is…uh…you'll see. Come on." He helped her up and he didn't let go of her hand as they ran for his car. The college students were also making a mad dash for shelter and it could only be guessed that one of them felt a drop as well.

Jenne closed the car door and looked at Ryan expectantly.

"Wait for it." He said.

As if a bucket of water was being dumped, rain fell fast and heavy. There was no soft pitter-patter but more like continuous splashing.

"Holy crap." Jenne said.

"Yeah..." Ryan glanced at her to see that she was grinning. "Jenne?"

"Did I ever tell you that I like the rain?" she said mischievously.

"You're going to get out the car aren't you?"

She opened the car door and ran out onto the beach. She laughed as the water washed over her, soaking her in seconds. Running her fingers through her wet hair she kept laughing until she felt arms around her waist.

"You're crazy." Ryan had to shout over the sound of the rain.

"Secretly, you like it." Jenne shouted back.

"Secretly, yeah." Ryan laughed and spun her around in his arms. And there it was; the glimmer had become a fire in her eyes. Ryan knew then that he would never be able to let her go. He pulled her closer and when she didn't back away, Ryan grew very nervous. Alexx's warning echoed through his mind. _It's too soon Wolfe_, he thought to himself. _Slow down._

Not wanting to show any loss of interest, he touched his cheek to hers. "I don't want you to get sick."

"Would you nurse me back to health if I did?" Jenne asked into his ear.

He squeezed her in his arms before answering with, "Race you to the car."


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer:** _Me no own and you no sue. Yes._

The agreement to wait for the rain to let up to leave seemed futile as the downpour did not lessen. They spent the majority of the time switching radio stations in search of songs for Ryan to sing. After he screeched like a banshee, Jenne slapped her hand over his mouth, saying that she'll so the singing from now on. They continued changing radio stations until the car battery died.

"Should've known that was going to happen." He muttered.

Jenne gasped dramatically. "You're psychic?"

"Uh…" he gave her an odd look. "No."

"Then there was no way for you to know that was going to happen." She said frankly.

Ryan glared at her smirk. "We can't sit in this all night." He said, motioning to the rain.

"I can, but you can't." Jenne said. "So…what's the plan?"

"You don't mind being stuck in this?"

Jenne just shrugged. "I told you I like the rain."

An idea came to Ryan's mind and he couldn't help but think he was setting himself up. "I don't live too far from here." He offered. "We could…uh...you know, walk there."

Cocking her head to the side, Jenne smirked. "Mr. Wolfe, you don't plan on seducing me do you?"

Ryan's mouth went dry. "Uh…well…I mean…I was just-"

Her laughter cut off his stammering. "Oh my God, I so had you." She laughed even harder…and Ryan loved her laugh, not minding in the least that she was laughing at him.

"Are you done?" he asked when her laughter faded into giggles.

She looked at him, humor still in her eyes. "No not really." Jenne said with a smile. "But I don't mind a walk in the rain."

Together they left Ryan's car behind and began their walk. There was no need to run in search of temporary shelter from the drenching rain. So they took their time, enjoying each other's company. Every now and then Jenne would pause to look at the street signs before continuing on. She didn't tell what she was doing and Ryan certainly didn't ask.

Finally reaching Ryan's neighborhood, he started to wonder how he was going to explain how he had gotten to work with his car on the beach.

* * *

His lawn was green and looked freshly cut. That amused Jenne for some reason. They made their way up the walkway, Ryan's hand on Jenne's lower back, in case she slipped. She took in the sight of the neighborhood as he unlocked the door.

"It's kind of messy." Ryan explained after he pushed the door open.

_Honestly, if this is messy I live like a pig_, she thought. Stepping inside, the kitchen to her right almost sparkled. There were no dishes in the sink or on the clean counters. The living room seemed welcoming with its chocolate brown couch and wooden coffee table. Straight across from the door was a bookshelf full of books, picture frames on every other shelf.

Everything looked clean to her…and symmetrical…

"You're OCD."

Ryan's shoulders tensed. "Is it that bad?"

"I never said OCD was a bad thing." Jenne replied with a soft smile.

He smiled back. Then his face contorted, scrunching his nose and breathing through his mouth. He sneezed into his sleeve.

"Who's sick now?" Jenne asked sarcastically.

Ryan tried to look upset but couldn't manage it, making Jenne laugh.

"We should change out of these wet clothes." Ryan paused as if waiting for her to have some kind of objection. When there was none he led her down the hallway to the bathroom. He left her there and Jenne giggled at the fact that this was the cleanest bathroom she had ever been in.

"What?" Ryan returned holding some of his clothes.

She just smiled and shook her head, taking the shirt and sweats from him. Again he left to give her some privacy to change. Peeling her drenched clothes off herself, Jenne laughed at her predicament. It was so random and none of her other friends ended up in a situation even close to being similar.

Ryan's scent was in the clothes that he had given her and Jenne took her time trying to memorize it._ No, that's not stalkerish at all, _she thought sarcastically. Though the clothes hung off of her, they were an improvement from her soaking wet clothes on the floor. She quickly picked them up, not wanting to destroy his ridiculously clean bathroom.

* * *

_She's naked in your bathroom._

_Shut up._

_And changing into your clothes._

_Shut up._

_She's naked under your clothes._

_Shut. Up. _

Ryan paced his bedroom again trying to calm his nerves. He was past the point of thinking he had set himself up, he was sure he had. _Calm down_. Ryan took a few deep breaths. There was no way he was going to screw up anything that he and Jenne had by saying or doing anything inappropriate. He had to play it cool, like everything was normal.

That plan, however, was doomed to fail the second he saw her standing in his hallway wearing his clothes. She smiled innocently at him, wet clothes in her arms. Quickly taking them from her he offered to dry them. Her non-response was response enough as he made his way to the dryer. Jenne followed him at a distance. After setting the machine he spun around to see her standing in the doorway. For a moment Ryan let his thoughts wander.

_She looks like she belongs here. _

_Maybe she does…_

_She's naked under your clothes._

_Please shut up._

"Are you thirsty?" Ryan asked, trying very hard to keep his thoughts from displaying across his face.

"Got any tea?"

* * *

_He's so cute when he's sleeping._

_Cute when he's awake for that matter._

_I'm so glad he doesn't snore._

Ryan had fallen asleep, and for almost an hour Jenne sat and watched him sleep sitting up on the couch. They intended on watching television until the clothes dried but he only lasted a few minutes before it was lights out. Jenne didn't mind, she enjoyed watching him sleep more than whatever was on TV.

The dryer buzzed and still Ryan did not stir. Jenne sent a text message before she rose from the couch, gathered her clothes and changed in the bathroom. She tiptoed in the living room to see that Ryan was still asleep. Sitting back down, she watched him sleep again. Her phone vibrated twenty minutes later. Gently shaking Ryan's arm, Jenne spoke softly.

"Ryan?"

He opened one eye to look at her. "Hm?"

"My ride is here."

"Your ride?" Ryan asked sleepily.

"Yeah, my friend's here." She smiled. "Thanks for the day at the beach."

Ryan grinned and got up to walk Jenne to the door. It was still raining. "Hang on a second." He walked to his room and returned shortly with an umbrella. He handed it to her.

"Thanks." Jenne wasn't sure how she should say goodbye. _Do I kiss him? Or just a hug?_ She settled for middle ground and kissed his cheek. "I'll see you?"

"Yeah."

Jenne nodded, opened the umbrella and walked carefully to the ride that was waiting for her.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N:** _Song Butterflyz by Alicia Keys_

Some would think that when a call came in for a dead body, Alexx Woods would just leave her house and head straight to the scene. Such things were false, as she, along with everyone else, had to clock in at the lab. She was early and took a moment to wake up entirely until she was interrupted. Soft sniffles could be heard long before Alexx caught the sound of his footsteps. She looked up as the door opened to reveal Ryan, with red eyes and a tissue in his hand for his nose.

"You get caught in the rain?" she asked, immediately suspicious.

He just smiled and his eyes glistened, either with smugness or because he was possibly sick, she couldn't tell. That smile remained on his face until he asked, "Got anything for a runny nose?" At her questioning glare, Ryan said, "She likes the rain."

She smirked and reached for a prescription pad. Quickly scribbling on it, she gave it to him.

"Uh, Alexx? This is a location."

"I know. Go in and ask for the tall Maria, make sure you say 'tall Maria'. Tell her that I sent you and then ask for the special." She instructed.

Ryan frowned with confusion. "What exactly is the special?"

"Soup." Alexx replied.

"Ok…Thanks Alexx." Ryan flicked the small paper twice and headed for the door.

"Oh and Ryan? If your friend gets sick, bring her in to see me."

"Why?" he asked, his face growing serious with concern.

"Because I want to meet her." Alexx said as if it were obvious.

* * *

The entire day was a blur to Ryan. Nothing eventful happened, at least not for him. Horatio had seen him eating 'the special' and made him stay in the lab until his nose stopped running. Not that Ryan minded, it gave him time to work on some old paperwork…and think about Jenne. Though, he found himself doing that without much effort nowadays anyway. By the time his nose was back to normal, his work shift was almost over and he found no reason get involved in a case this late anyway.

Ryan had taken a cab to work and was thankful that Eric didn't ask why his car broke down on a beach. He simply gave Ryan a ride, gave the car a jump and they were both on their way. Ryan barely muttered a goodbye to his colleague before he headed straight to the bar. Laughing at himself, he realized that to anyone who didn't know the entire truth he would seem like an alcoholic. That thought kept him entertained until he entered the bar.

Jenne was already on the small stage moving things around. She looked up when the door opened and gave him a small wave. Some of the men that noticed gave Ryan a look of jealousy, which he simply grinned at. He sat at the bar and received a coke, even though he didn't ask for one.

"Thanks Mick." Ryan said.

The bartender just waved it off. Whatever Mick was going to say after that was lost when the keys of the piano found a melody that caught everybody's attention.

"_Lately when I look into your eyes I realize  
You're the only one I need in my life  
Baby I just don't know how to describe  
How lovely you made me feel inside_

You give me butterflyz  
Got me flying so high in the sky  
I can't control the butterflyz"

Ryan felt his throat tighten. Maybe it was wishful thinking, but he hoped she was talking about him. He hoped she wasn't _just _singing the song, but that she _actually_ meant it. But then, what reason would she have to sing such a song about him? What right did Ryan have to rouse such feelings in her? What were they to each other exactly?

That thought was most troubling. In all their time together, there was nothing that gave him any kind of idea that they were more or less friends. Of course he had feelings for her that were beyond friendly, but did she feel the same? As the song ended, Ryan decided that he couldn't keep wondering the answer to such questions. He needed to know.

* * *

The rain returned full force while inside the bar. The sprint to his car would have been comical if only he hadn't barely slipped and fallen. Jenne, however, thought it was ironic, saying that she was ridiculously clumsy. That was the extent of their conversation until Jenne spoke up.

"You ok?"

Ryan quickly took his eyes off the road to look at her. She looked slightly concerned. They had not spoken much since they parking lot, and they were quite a distance from the bar at the moment. The questions running through his mind made him afraid to speak in case he blurted something.

"Just thinking." He said softly. For some reason he thought that would satiate her curiosity… until he parked in front of her friend's house.

"What were you thinking about?"

Slowly turning the ignition off, Ryan turned his body to look at her. Even though the entire ride from the bar to this point was committed to finding the right words to ask the right question, he didn't say anything. He just stared in her eyes hoping that she could read his mind. But he knew she couldn't, and the words that danced on his tongue had to be said at some point.

He took a deep breath. "Jenne…" He hesitated for too long. "Nevermind."

"No, what is it?"

Ryan gave a fake smile and shook his head. "Nothing." He got out, mentally swearing at himself, and opened the door for her. He tried very hard not to make any kind of contact with her under the umbrella as he walked her to the door.

Just as she unlocked the door and reached for the doorknob, Ryan reasoned that if he didn't ask, he would go crazy from the unknown. "Jenne?" She turned to him. "I…what…" he rubbed his face. "What are we? I mean…I like you, a lot. And it's…frustrating not knowing how you feel about me."

She bit her lip before answering. "Well Ryan…I kind of thought I made that clear when I sang tonight."

"Yeah?"

Jenne blushed. "Yeah."

Without thinking, Ryan reached out to hold her chin and kissed her softly. He tried to back away to apologize for not giving some kind of warning, when she kissed him back. What started out as unintentional and possibly a plea of temporary insanity heated up quickly. They held onto each other as if their lives depended on it. And even as Ryan's lungs burned from the lack of oxygen, he couldn't care less.

In the end, it was Jenne that pulled away, whispering words softly against his lips that he didn't quite catch.

"What did you say?"

"Huh?"

Ryan grinned. "You said something. What did you say?"

Jenne's eyes widened as she removed her arms from around his neck. "Nothing." She visibly tensed. "I should go…I mean I live here so I should go inside but…" she shook herself. "Bye Ryan."

Before he could reply she was inside and the door was closed. Confused, Ryan headed back to his car, not even bothering to use the umbrella.


	10. Chapter 10

"Jenne, you friggin' idiot." She slid down the door, her hands over her face. "How corny was that? 'Oh hold me Ryan.' Really Jenne? Yes, scare him off by seeming to be horribly needy. Yeah that'll do it." She didn't know how long she sat on the floor, banging her head on the door, when she heard a voice.

"Yeah, so Jenne? Stop knocking on the door. You're clearly already in the house." Leila said cheekily.

Jenne looked up at her with helplessness in her eyes. "Please don't be sarcastic. I completely screwed up and I think he thinks I'm stupid because I said something so friggin cheesy, like, it's not even funny and I don't even wanna tell you." She rambled.

"Do tell."

"I hate you." Jenne groaned. Sitting up straighter. "I asked him to 'hold me.' He didn't hear me but still." Her embarrassment rose again as did the hue in her cheeks. "And then I practically slammed the door in his face."

As much as Leila wanted to help, she laughed. "Dammit Jenne Byrd." She took a moment to compose her giggles before clearing her throat. "Did you call him?" she asked with laughter still in her voice.

"And say what? 'Hey Ryan. Yeah, that 'hold me' thing that you're not supposed to know anything about? Just try and forget that.'" Jenne closed her eyes and hit her head on the door again. "I am so stupid."

"Stop before you get a concussion." Leila's voice trailed away down the hall.

For a moment Jenne only heard the heavy rain outside until she was startled by a duffle bag being dropped right next to her. She looked up and Leila, a query in her eyes.

She was holding out her keys. "Be careful its pouring rain outside."

Jenne raised an eyebrow. "What-"

"I kow you know where he lives."

Jenne slowly took the keys from Leila's hand, as if to test her seriousness. When she realized that her friend was indeed serious, she frowned. "I hate driving. And you just said its pouring rain. What if I don't make it there?"

"Oh trust me," Leila rolled her eyes, "you'll make it there just fine."

* * *

Ryan lay on his couch and stared at the ceiling, wondering what he had done wrong. _Did I come on too strong? Was I going too fast?_ Nothing seemed to make sense to him. He was sure that they were mutually attracted to each other. She just said she was. Hell, she even kissed him back. Or maybe it was just him. Was he being delusional? Did he want to be with her so bad that he missed the signs of her not really being that interested in him?

_Maybe I shouldn't have kissed her,_ he thought. _Maybe it was too soon for that._ Ryan didn't know and he was starting to get a headache.

The rain outside was a welcome distraction as he tried to count as many raindrops as he could keep track of. He was on 156 when he heard loud splashing outside; most definitely not from the falling rain. Sitting up he focused his hearing on his front door. Sure enough there was a shuffle of movement before a soft tap on the door.

Opening it revealed a soaking wet Jenne Byrd. Her brown hair was plastered to her head and the tip of her nose was bright pink.

"Hi." She said quietly.

Ryan stared at her for half a second before gently pulling her inside. He said nothing as he closed the door, locked it and ran to the bathroom to get a large towel. Shivering, she was standing in the same place he left her. He wrapped the towel around her shoulders and rubbed her arms as to warm her.

"It's raining outside."

Jenne smirked. "I kinda noticed."

Ryan grinned back at her and it was only then that he noted the distance between them…or rather, the lack thereof. "I didn't think you would want to see me after tonight."

"Funny, I was thinking the same thing." She rested her forehead against his chin. "We really need to communicate better." She whispered.

"Yeah."

She smiled up at him and their eyes met. There was that glimmer in her eyes again. It took his breath away. He pulled her closer into his warm arms, their lips drawing ever near to each other. As they kissed, Ryan's heartbeat sped up. At the same time, he was fully aware of Jenne tugging at the front of his shirt. Fully aware of what it was she wanted, and also aware that he wanted the same thing.

He pulled away, just far enough to look at her still in his arms. "Jenne, I…" he started with uncertainty, "I just…I just want this to be perfect."

"Oh Ryan," she whispered softly, running her finger down his jaw line, "it is perfect."

They kissed again, not even bothering to keep their desire for one another in check, before Ryan carried Jenne to his bedroom.


	11. Chapter 11

She watched him sleep for two hours. Just resting her chin on his chest and watched him breathe. In through his mouth and out through his nose. She would have continued to watch but her eyes strayed to the clock on the nightstand. It was almost 5 o'clock.

With a sigh, she slowly rolled off the bed and got dressed. She was able to stay quiet until the zipper on her jeans got stuck. "Are you kidding right now?" she whispered to her jeans. "That's not ok to just kid, not right now." She tugged harder and the zipper finally complied. Nodding with satisfaction, Jenne continued to get dressed until a voice stopped her.

"Jenne Byrd."

There was no reason to say her full name, as if there was another Jenne in the room, but she still found it ridiculously endearing. She smiled and turned to the bed where Ryan was watching her, a sleepy smile on his face. Wordlessly she joined him, kissing him softly.

"You're leaving." He said in a husky voice. It gave her chills.

"Yeah." She whispered. "The sun will be up soon and we vampires have to get to our caves."

Ryan snorted and rubbed her cheeks with his fingertips. "You didn't bite me did you?"

"No." Smiling seductively she added, "Did you want me to?" She tried to stay serious but started giggling. He quieted her with kisses. She felt his arm wrap around her waist but she pulled away before he could get a good hold on her. "I really have to go. Plus," she smiled, "I'd rather do the walk of shame while your neighbors are sleeping."

"Jenne-" His words died on Jenne's lips.

"It's ok." She rubbed her nose to his and pulled back, looking him in the eyes. "You know…I never believed in forever until I met you." Ryan smiled up at her. Before he respond she kissed him again and slid off the bed saying, "Go back to sleep."

The hunt for her left sock began. When she finally found it under the bed, she slipped it on and tried to remember where she left her shoes. Jenne glanced at Ryan who was sound asleep. She smiled and remembered that she kicked off her shoes in the living room. She collected the rest of her things and left, locking the front door behind her.


	12. Chapter 12

_**A/N:**_ _The rumors are false. I'm alive lol. The song Toxic by Yael Niam (Brit Spears cover)  
_

* * *

The sun still had not risen when Jenne made it home. In fact, it seemed like it got darker outside.

"It's always darkest before the dawn." She whispered to herself when she dropped the car keys on the kitchen counter. She laughed. _Leave it to me to have a random poetic moment at five in the morning_.

Throwing her shoes in the hall closet, Jenne made her way to her room. She collapsed dramatically on her bed. It didn't feel the same as Ryan's and she concluded that she liked his bed more. _Probably because he was in it with me_, she grinned.

The memories were fresh in her mind. The tattoo on his left arm, the scar near his right eye, the way he tickled her stomach completely on accident. Jenne promised she would remember it all.

The sun finally rose and Jenne was asleep, a smile on her face.

* * *

She woke around noon. There was a smell of bacon in the air, so Jenne rolled out of the bed and made her way to the kitchen. Standing over the stove was Leila, dressed in a big t-shirt and sweatpants. Having just woken up herself, she was making breakfast. Jenne giggled, thinking it would seem crazy waking up at noon and having breakfast to anyone else but them.

"What do you find amusing?"

"You're making breakfast when it's," Jenne looked at the clock on the microwave, "12:06 in the afternoon."

Leila raised an eyebrow. "Would you rather starve?"

"Hell no. Cook that bacon. Cook it real good." She stopped short when she saw the coffee pot. "You made me coffee?"

"Yes. Yes I did."

Jenne smiled brightly. "You love me."

"Sometimes." Leila quipped. "Count it as a 'thank you' for returning my car in one piece."

Jenne poured herself a cup of coffee and sat at the kitchen table. Her thoughts once again drifted to the night before. A slow smile crossed her face.

"So?"

"What?" Jenne asked, snatched from her reverie.

"So?" Leila repeated and after a beat she said, "Never mind. You're not one to kiss and tell and judging from those stars in your eyes and that dopey smile, there was a lot more than kissing going on."

Jenne hid her grin behind her coffee mug, but the blush on her cheeks was most evident.

* * *

When Jenne arrived at work, she quickly realized that there were more people in the bar than usual. She shrugged it off as just being odd and went straight to the bar for her nightly tea.

"There's my girl." Mick said, grabbing a tea cup.

Jenne smiled brightly. "Hey. Business looks good tonight."

Mick's smile had a hint of mischief in it. "Uh huh." He quickly added, "I got you Jasmine tea tonight."

"You're too good to me, Mick."

Again, he smiled mischievously. "I know."

Jenne drank her tea, surveying the bar. There was a man sitting close to the stage, his eyes fixed on her. It made her feel uneasy, but since she knew that she was safe, she put it in the back of her mind. Finishing her tea, Jenne thanked Mick and got to work.

As expected, right before Jenne was preparing to sing, Ryan walked into the bar. He gave her a smile and a wink. She smiled back and nodded to the pianist to start playing.

"_Baby can't you see, I'm calling_

_A guy like you should wear a warning_

_It's dangerous, I'm falling_

_There's no escape, I can't wait_

_I need a hit, baby give me it._

_You're dangerous, I'm loving it_."

The look Ryan gave her almost made her forget the words to the song. But she kept going. Jenne had learned that it was easier to just sing right to him in a situation like that.

"_With the taste of you lips I'm on the ride_

_You're toxic, I'm slipping under_

_Taste of your poison paradise_

_I'm addicted to you _

_Don't you know that you're toxic._

_And I love what you do._

_Don't you know that you're toxic_."

When Jenne was done singing, she was met with applause but her focus was on Ryan. She could see him blushing all the way from the stage.

"Hi Ryan." Jenne said as she walked up to him at the bar.

"Hi Jenne." He replied softly, stroking her arm from shoulder to her fingers.

Mick cut in. "Jenne? Come on back to my office. I want you to meet someone."

"Um, ok." She shrugged at Ryan's curious look and kissed his cheek before following Mick to his office.

Sitting behind the desk was the guy who stared at Jenne when she first walked in. "Jenne, this is Steve Maddox." Mick said. "Steve, _this_ is Jenne."

Maddox stood to his feet and held out his hand. "Jenne, it's wonderful to finally meet you. Mick wouldn't stop telling me about how talented you are, so I decided to come down to Miami and see for myself."

Jenne was a second away from asking what the hell is going on when Maddox continued. "Let's get to it, ok? You are a great singer, and no offense to Mick, but a voice like yours should be in a better venue than a small bar."

"Thank you?" she said, unsure of where all this was going.

"I want you to come and sing for me in my night club up in New York."

Jenne frowned. "What?"

"I said, I wa-"

"No, I heard you. What?" She couldn't believe it. This was just so…random. "New York as in New York City?"

"Yes."

Jenne plopped down in a chair, her hands covering her nose and mouth, speechless. She sat like that for awhile, trying to convince herself she wasn't dreaming.

"Uh, you don't have to decide tonight." Maddox added, taking his card out of his wallet. "Give me a call when you make up your mind." He said his farewell to Mick and left.

Mick sat on the edge of his desk. "Shocked?"

She nodded.

"I figured." He said. "Go ahead and take the rest of the night off, okay? Whatever you decide, I'm behind you."

Jenne slowly got out of the chair and headed back to the bar.

"Everything okay?" Ryan asked. He sounded so concerned.

Jenne nodded slowly. "Let's get outta here."

Without asking another question, Ryan took Jenne by the hand and led her out into the parking lot.

"Can we go to the beach?" She asked.

He didn't answer, but she noticed that they started to head in the direction of the beach. Once there, they sat in the car, silence engulfing them. Jenne's head rested against the window, her eyes focused on the reflection of the moon on the ocean waves.

"Something's wrong." Ryan said suddenly. "Tell me what's wrong."

Jenne looked at him sadly before explaining what had taken place in the office. There was long moment of silence before Ryan replied, "Oh."

"Yeah."

"Well…what are you going to do?" he asked carefully.

She knew he was going to ask that question. It was the same question she had asked herself when she sat down in the car. "I think I'm going to go to New York."

"Yeah?" His tone had changed. It was sad, hurt. "So, that's it?"

Jenne frowned. "Don't do that."

"Don't do what?" Ryan demanded.

"Don't make this personal. This has nothing to do with you." She said quietly. "I have to do this."

"No you don't." he insisted. "You can stay here-"

"And do what? Be a waitress for the rest of my life?" That wasn't a path Jenne wanted to take. She needed him to understand that. "You're lucky, Ryan. You're good at your job. You love what you do. You've found your place in life." She said quietly. "I don't have that and if I don't try this I might never find where I belong."

Ryan averted his eyes away from her, and Jenne wished she knew what he was thinking. His far away gaze gave her no clue as to what was running through his mind. Finally, he looked at her and sighed deeply.

"I should be getting you home."

That wasn't what Jenne expected to hear. There wasn't another word exchanged between them. When he pulled up to the house, Jenne got out of the car without even saying goodbye.


	13. Chapter 13

_A/N: My muse and I just got back together after a bad break up. Thus, this._

* * *

Ryan picked at the file folder in his hands, his mind nowhere near the lab. She was leaving tomorrow. She was leaving and he had weeks to try to say goodbye. Every time he dialed her number or drove past the bar he just couldn't bring himself to go any further. With a frustrated groan, Ryan slammed his head on the break room table.

"You mind stopping the masochism for a minute."

Ryan lifted his head to see Eric with a smug look on his face. "What?"

"There's a girl at the front desk, says she's looking for you."

"What'd she look like?"

"Oh man," Eric started with a huge smile, "she's hot. Brown hair, green eyes-"

Ryan leapt out of his seat and tried to remain calm as he briskly walked towards the receptionist's desk. He stopped short at the sight of her. His hands started sweating so he shoved them in his pockets. "Jenne?"

She gave him a small smile and a wave. "Hi."

"Hi."

They stood there staring at each other for a moment before Jenne launched into a ramble. "I know I shouldn't have showed up at your job, and I'm really sorry, but I needed to see you and I wanted to let you know that tonight is…um, well its my last night here and my last performance and I was wondering if you'd be there." She stopped to take a breath and continued in a quieter voice. "I really want you to be there. I need you to be there. So…will you be there?"

Ryan opened his mouth but, no knowing what to say, he closed it. He didn't want to say goodbye, he didn't want to have to say goodbye. "I…might have to work."

"Oh." She looked down, trying to hide her disappointment. "Okay."

"But if I can get away I will." He quickly added, not wanting to see her upset. "I'll try."

"Okay. Um, thanks. I'll just, ya know, go." She nodded towards the elevator. "Bye Ryan." She turned and left, leaving Ryan even more depressed than he originally was.

She had said goodbye to him. And, to follow that line of thinking, she wasn't expecting to see him at the bar. Quite frankly, Ryan wasn't expecting himself at the bar. But that's where he ended up after work.

Taking a deep breath, Ryan got out of his car and headed inside. He was surprised to see a full band behind Jenne on stage. The applause let him know they had just finished a song and they were waiting on her cue for the next song. But she was frozen, staring right at him. The applause died down and she suddenly turned to the band, whispering instructions. They began to play, clumsily at first, but eventually evened out and Jenne began to sing:

"_I've made up my mind, don't need to think it over  
If I'm wrong I am right, don't need to look no further  
This ain't lust, I know this is love_

_But if I tell the world, I'll never say enough  
'Cause it was not said to you  
And that's exactly what I need to do if I'd end up with you_

_Should I give up or should I just keep chasing pavements  
Even if it leads nowhere?  
Or would it be a waste even if I knew my place  
Should I leave it there?  
Should I give up or should I just keep chasing pavements  
Even if it leads nowhere?"_

Ryan clung to every word, guilt washing over him He had been an ass when she needed him most and it took a song for him to realize that.

His personal degradation of himself lasted through the rest of the song and applause and only stopped when he felt arms around him. Jenne had jumped off stage and wrapped him in a tight hug.

"I didn't think you were gonna show and-"

"Jenne, I can't breathe."

"Sorry." She let him go. "I'm just really glad you're here, even though the show is kinda over."

"Jenne," he paused for a long time, "I'm sorry."

"Say what?"

"I'm sorry." Ryan repeated. "I was a selfish jackass and I should have been supportive and I wasn't and I'm so sorry."

Jenne framed his face in her hands and kissed him softly. "It's okay."

"No, it's n-"

"It's. Okay." She repeated. "I understand where you were coming from, I really do. But you're here now and that's all I care about."

He wrapped his arms around her waist and he kissed her like he would never see her again…which caused the entire bar to either clap or wolf whistle at them. Mick hollered them to get a room.

They pulled apart and Jenne whispered, "Long distance relationships usually don't work."

"We'll make it work." Ryan said firmly.

Jenne's eyes lit up and she stroked his cheek. "I love you, Ryan Wolfe."

"I love you too, Jenne Byrd."


End file.
